Hattiesburg American from Hattiesburg, Mississippi • 11

mm INSIDE: Scoreboard 2B Baseball 3B College football. USM football 5B Sunday, October 12, 1 9971 David Lanier, Sports Team Leader 584-3119 E-mail address: HBAmericanaol.com ON USM FOOTBALL past DAVID LANIER Big plays key USM's C-USA win By TIM DOHERTY AMERICAN Sports Writer GREENVILLE, N.C. Trying to pin down the turning point in the University of Southern Mississippi's 23-13 Conference USA victory over East Carolina University Saturday ultimately depended on whom one turned around and talked to. USM head coach Jeff Bower opted for USM's goal-line stand I ft) -'I I INSIDE More on USM's 23-13 victory over East Carolina: Best Worst, scoring summary, statistics, USM's kicker, notebook and more. Page 5B The Associated Press NO WAY: University of Southern Mississippi defensive players Perry Phenix, left, and Royal Bell, right, break up a pass intended for East Carolina's Alphonso Collins (81) during second-half Conference USA action Saturday in Greenville, N.C.

USM defensive unit stood tall that forced the Pirates to settle for a field goal with 12 seconds left before halftime. USM special teams coach Joe Robinson said he thought it might have come seconds later, when Eric Booth returned a kick-off 59 yards to ECU's 32 yard-line, setting lip Tim Hardaway's career-best 49-yard field goal on the last play of the half. ECU head coach Steve Logan called Robert Brown's sack and strip of Pirate quarterback Danny Gonzalez midway through the fourth quarter that set up a game-clinching touchdown run by Harold Shaw was the killer. But no matter which option one cared to choose, the bottom line said the Golden Eagles came up with enough plays at the right time to thwart the pesky Pirates before 33,904 at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium and a regional See EAGLES, 5B in the first quarter, and had to adjust their attitudes just to help preserve a 23-13 victory. "We weren't playing like we should have the first half, it was like we were going through the motions or something," USM end Robert Brown, who forced a key fumble in the third quarter, said.

"We knew we were better than what we were showing out there." East Carolina went into the game ranked 110th nationally in do." East Carolina began to show a pulse in the second quarter, going on a 68-yard, 17-play, six-minute drive, forcing the Eagles to focus on keeping the Pirates out of the end zone not to preserve a shutout, but to preserve the Eagles' lead. "We weren't playing as reckless as we can," USM coach Jeff Bower said. "We weren't attacking and making big plays." See DEFENSE, 5B By DAVID LANIER AMERICAN Sports Team Leader GREENVILLE, N.C. Southern Mississippi's defensive players strutted into Saturday's game wanting a shutout, a reasonable goal going into a matchup with an East Carolina team smarting from back-to-back shutouts and looking for its first touchdown in nearly a month. The Eagles had to adjust their goal after giving up a field goal rushing (59 yards a game), 69th in passing offense (190.8), 108th in total offense (249.8) and 112th last in the country in scoring offense (10.5 points).

What defense wouldn't think shutout? "We knew they'd been having problems scoring, but they have some good skill players and their offensive line is getting better," USM defensive back Perry Phenix said. "We might have been thinking too much about them and not doing what we needed to USM's Booth still helping Golden Eagles GREENVILLE, N.C. Southern Mississippi running back Erfc Booth could have spent the first half of the season whining over the loss of his starting spot and sulking over the loss of whatever hopes and dreams he (pried into his final season. There's been none of that, though, coaches and teammates say, pointing to the resurgent senior's big plays on special teams and in cameo appearances. Booth turned in two more big ones Saturday, racing 32 yards on a trap play to set up the Eagles' first score and scampering 59 yards on a kickoff return to set up a momentum-stealing field goal in the final seconds of the opening half.

don't make those kind of plays if you're sulking or not working hard every play," USM running backs coach Steve Buck-le said after the Eagles' 23-13 win over East Carolina. "He's stepping in there and making big plays for us." Jtfo one is doing more with fewer chances. Booth ran seven times and returned two kickoffs against ECU. Of those nine touches, five figured into scores. Ci Booth doesn't have time to sulk.

He's too busy having as big an' impact on the offense as he dirj last year when he finished third in Conference USA in rushing and all-purpose yards. When he; posted three 100-yard rushing games. When he was the man. No problem 1 Nothing's changed, really," Booth said, a wide smile never leaving his face while he chatted about Saturday's game and his season outside the USM locker room. "I'm still going out and trying to make things happen.

It's not like I'm sitting around." No, not at all. Booth, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior from Bass-field who was chided by coaches during two-a-days for poor practice habits, was on the go often against East Carolina. Booth checked into the game on'USM's fourth series, and tufned his first carry into a 32-yard run to ECU's 15. USM scored two plays later for a 7-3 lead, with Booth's run his longest of the year by 22 yards the springboard to the lead. Booth hasn't scored a rushing touchdown since the Tulane game last year.

He caught a TD pass last weekend against Louisville. And he's come close several times to scoring on a kickoff return, including a return in the first half against ECU. There he goes Bl ECU kicked a field goal to creep within 7-6 with 15 seconds left, then had the silly idea to kick to Booth instead of squib-bing the ball downfield or doing whatever it took to keep the nation's second-ranked kickoff returner from touching the football, Booth followed the wedge up the center of the field, then broke free and raced up the sideline. He appeared to be going in but was knocked out of bounds at the ECU 32 with two seconds left. Tim Hardaway kicked a 49-yard field goal as the half ended.

"I was expecting anything but for them to kick deep," said Booth, who is now averaging 33.8 yards a return, or 1.6 yards more a return than he was averaging before the game. "The ball came deep, the return set up well. I was happy to get the chance." Booth's play wasn't perfect. But his big plays in the first half had a big impact on the game, which is all the displaced star back really wants to do. David Lanier Is Sports Team Leader of the American.

Dixie Youth series moves to Tatum Park By ALAN HINTON AMERICAN Assistant Sports Team Leader The 1998 Dixie Youth Baseball World Series moved westward Saturday. Hattiesburg will host the Aug. 16-22 tournament, but instead of playing at Jay-cee Memorial Park where Dixie Youth Baseball has been played for several decades the tournament site will be at Tatum Park off U.S. 11. The benefits of the move: More parking for the expected fans and more room around the fields for fans, concessions, souvenir stands and bathrooms.

tiesburg in 1989. State champions from 12 states, plus a host team, competed in the tournament for 11-12 year-olds. In 1998, for the first time, an AAA World Series for 9-10 year-old state champion teams, will be held. Last August, while winning a bid to host the 11-12 year-olds, Hattiesburg agreed to host the younger series, too. That means that double the number of teams, players, fans and umpires will be in Hattiesburg that week next August.

"At Jaycee Park, we planned to play the AAA games in the morning and the 11-12s in the evenings," Skelton said. "At The problems: The four fields, which are currently used for adult softball, must have their infields sodded with grass; outfield fences must be placed 200 feet from home plate instead of the current 300; and the concession standpress boxmeeting room now under construction must be completed. "I think this will work," Dixie Youth national commissioner Wes Skelton said Saturday morning while making an inspection of Tatum Park. Since 1956, the Dixie Youth Baseball program has held World Series at various sites around the Southeast, including Hat Tatum Park, we can play all the games at night, at 4, 6 and 8 p.m. About 6 p.m., with people at the first game sticking around and some people for the 8 games coming to the park, there will be 8 to 10,000 people there.

It will be wall-to-wall people." The biggest advantage of playing at Tatum Park will be the extra parking spaces. "Our facility at Jaycee Park is a great facility, but it is land-locked," said Hattiesburg Dixie Youth commissioner Larry Dole- See DIXIE, 3B Mexico team enjoys tourney fid''" 0 mm the gulf to play in the Hubfest International Classic Cup, hosted by the Hattiesburg Youth Soccer Association. "The tournament here is very good," said 11-year-old Vladymmir Martinez. "We are having a really good time and the people are really nice here." Martinez was especially thankful for his host this weekend, the family of Eduardo Lopez. The three-day tournament is comprised of 55 teams from Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mexico.

The math works out to about 1,100 soccer players (not including families and coaches) all crammed into Hattiesburg area hotels this weekend and, based oh the excitement of the team from Mexico, is likely to grow larger in the future. But almost as important to the players and coaches of the Mexican select team was the level of competition. "The competition here looks difficult," 11-year old Melchor Bryseno said shortly after losing 3-0 to the Meridian select team. The kids here are stronger and a lot better than we expected." By RON STRICKLAND AMERICAN Sports Writer HATTIESBURG Isla Mujeres is a small island seven miles north of Cancun, Mexico. Literally translated "Isle of Women," Isla Mujeres is a quaint and picturesque place that, like Hattiesburg, seems like a great place to raise your children.

Good schools, a strong athletic community, and full of scientific wonders. Hattiesburg is surrounded by the Richton salt domes and the De Soto National forest, home to the endangered Gopher Turtle. Isla Mujeres has its Cave of the Sleeping Shark, one of Jacques Cousteau's most startling discoveries. The discovery helped disprove the belief that sharks must continually move in order to live. But the wonderful biological oddities found on the island isn't all there is to Isla -Mujeres.

In addition to the wonderful beaches on an island in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, Isla Mujeres also is home to a group of kids in love with the world's most popular sport soccer. This week, a select group of soccer players from Isla Mujeres, ages 12 and under, ventured across David Bundy Hattiesburg American INTERNATIONAL SOCCER: Baltazar Briseno of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, kicks the soccer ball during a match against Meridian on Saturday morning in 12-under action at Tatum Park. ON TV SCOREBOARD BASEBALL i A.L. Championship Series Cleveland 2, Baltimore 1 (12) N.L. Championship Series Atlanta 4, Florida 0 FOOTBALL State AHEAD IN SPORTS MONDAY: Saints vs.

Falcons TUESDAY: USM football WEDNESDAY: Prep column THURSDAY: Outdoors FRIDAY: College football SATURDAY: Prep football LET'S HEAR FROM YOU To submit items for Sports, send them to David Lanier, Hattiesburg American, P.O. Box 1111, Hattiesburg, Miss. 39403 or fax them to 584-3130. TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS 11:30 a.m. NASCAR Auto Racing (Winston Cup Series, Diehard 500, from Talladega, WHLT.

Noon Major League Soccer (Conference finals, Game No. 1, Colorado at Dallas), ESPN. Noon NFL Football (Atlanta at New Orleans), WXXV. Noon NFL Football (Miami at New York Jets), WDAM. 3 p.m.

PGA Golf (Michelob Championship at Kingsmill, final-round coverage from Williamsburg, WHLT. 3 p.m. Major League Baseball (National League Championship Se Texas 56, Iowa State 17 Stanford-Arizona, late UCLA 39, Oregon 31 Air Force 10, Navy 7 Oklahoma State 53, Colorado 29 Brigham Young-Rice, late Kansas State 41 Missouri 1 1 Virginia Tech 17, Boston College 7 Georgia Tech 27, N.C. State 17 HOCKEY National Hockey League Pittsburgh 4, Carolina 1 Washington 3, Islanders 1 Edmonton 2, Toronto 1 Philadelphia 6, Montreal 2 New Jersey 3, Buffalo 2 Standings 2B ries, Game No. 5, Atlanta at Florida), WDAM.

3:30 p.m. NASCAR Racing (Craftsman Truck Series, Dodge's Truckstop 300, from Bakersfield, TNN. 4:30 p.m. Senior PGA Golf (The Transamerica, final-round coverage from Napa, ESPN. 6 p.m.

Major League Baseball (American League Championship Series, Game No. 4, Baltimore at Cleveland), WXXV. 6 p.m. ABL Basketball (Atlanta at New England), FOX Sports South. 7 p.m.

NFL Football (Indianapolis at Pittsburgh), TNT. Tulane 64, Louisville 33 Cincinnati 33, 29 Memphis 38, Arkansas State 9 Southeastern Conference South Carolina 38, Kentucky 24 Auburn 49, Louisiana Tech 13 Tennessee 38, Georgia 13 Vanderbilt 17, N. Illinois 7 LSU 28, Florida 21 Top 25 Penn State 31, Ohio State 27 Nebraska 49, Baylor 21 Florida State at Duke, 7 p.m. North Carolina 30, Wake Forest 12 Michigan 23, Northwestern 6 Washington 30, California 3 Michigan State 38, Indiana 6 USM 23, East Carolina 13 State 24, NE Louisiana 10 'Alcorn State 24, Prairie View 9 Grambling 20, Miss. Valley St.

13 Centre College 43, Milsaps 21 West Alabama 38, Miss. College 21 1 Junior College Jones 40, Holmes 27 Pearl River 61, Gulf Coast 55 cut Conference USA A..